Package-sealing machine.



I H. P. FORTE.

PACKAGE SEALING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 28, 1913.

Patented Apr. 21, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INVENTOI? lfiOR/VEV WITNESSES fywr H. P. FORTE. PACKAGE SEALING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.28, 191s.

Patented Apr. 21, 1914.

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5111/10/11all/17001111111111 HWENTUR 97 1171? WITNESSES Aria/Mfr H. P. FORTE.

PACKAGE SEALING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 28, 1913.

Patented Apr. 21, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

w w b w m m m INVENTUR ni M A TTOR/V H. P. FORTE. PACKAGE SEALING'MAGHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 28, 1913.

Patented Apr. 21, 19m

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BY p

I I A u nrromvn WITNESSES UNITED STATES PA ENT oEEIoE.

HARRY r. FORTE, or camuormnm, NEW YORK,

ASSIG-NOB TO BEECH-NUT PACKING COMPANY, OF CANAJOHABIE, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 21, 1914.-

Application filed larch 28, 1913. Serial No. 757,294.

To all 'wlzom'it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY P. FORTE, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Canajoharie, county of Montgomery, State of New York,' have invented certain new and useful Imp'rc' vements in Package-Sealing Machines, 'of which the following is a specification. 1

My invention relates to package' sealing machines and it is particularly adapted'for sealing packages made of corru ated'paper board, having end flaps which ,oldjfover to close the package, and side flaps which fold over upon and are sealed .the'inachine to the end flaps.- I The object of my invention-is, provide a machine of this character.Twhichrjshall be simple and effective in its-construction and operation, which shall automatically-apply glue to the inside of the side "flap and-auto.

matically turn or fold over thefsl The object is further'tcpmvidea a of this character which maybeq conveniently adjusted to operatef uplon-packages of different sizes. f" S j The object is further to provide in a machine of this character a glue applying mechanism, which shall be capable of a plying glue or. other "adhesive substance in a relatively thick layer; upon. theinside of the side flaps, in such. a manne astoavoid flaps.

getting the glue on theledgsg'ofg ithe side flap or the exterior of the closed and sealed package.

My invention consists'in providing aframe in which'is'mounted a glue roll at a fixed height, relative to the sald frame but laterally adjustable; in providing guide or slide upon which ackages are conveyed which is vertically ad ustable to bringpackages of different depths so. that. the top of the packages shall be substantially'in the same plane as the lower ed e of the glue roll; in providing a conveymg'inean's for carrying packages along said guides; in providing pressure roll adapted to press the side fla against the glue roll; in providing means for turning the side flaps over upon the end flaps, and in other novel features to be hereinafter pointed out and described.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of my specification, Figure 1 is a side view of the preferred form of a package sealing machine embodying the preferred form of my invention; Fig. 2 is laterally n achine to which chine y. and

levers are connected by the link 11.

a plan view; Fig. 3 is a side view of the tion; Fig. 4='is a plan of the part shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 1s a transverse section on line 55 of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a view showing adjustable side flap guide and means for adjusting the same; Figs. 7, 8 and 9 represent respectively a side view partially in section and plan and end view of the pressure roll mechanism; Fig. 10 is a side view of the glue roll and glue reservoir; Fig. 11 is a section of the same on line 11-11 of Fig. 12; Fig. 12 represents a sectlon on line 1212 of Fig. 10; andFig. 13 represents the package as it 'is received filled and ready for sealing. The reference characters are used in the same sense throughout the drawings and specifications.

Numeral lqrepresents the frame of the is secured the table 2 upon which the operator receives the packages which have been previously filled as they slide down an inclined way or chute 3. Guide bars 4 preferably at a level somewhat below that of the table 2 are supported by levers 5 secured to. the-shafts 6 and pivoted by the pins 7 to brackets 8, the said brackets being secured to the lower sides of the guide bars 4. Secured to the outer end of one of the shafts 6 is t-helever 9 and to the other the lever 10 and these shafts 6 are journaled in the brackets 12 secured to the frame. The lever 9is provided with ahandle at its end. A plurality of holes 13 is formed in the frame and adapted to register with a hole in the lever 9 which the pin 14. passes through to. lock the lever in variousv positions. It will be seen that as the lever 9 is moved from one position to another the guide bars 4. will be raised or lowered, as the case may be, to accommodate boxes of different heights, always remaining horizontal. The packages are conveyed or slid along the guides 4 by the conveying means 15 which consists of a pair of chains 16 having transverse bars 17 secured thereto at intervals. The chains are mounted on the sprocket wheels 18 and 19 secured to shafts ournaled in brackets and attached to the frame. The conveyer chains 16 are driven from the intermediate shaft 20 which is driven by the motor 21 throu h appropriate connections as will be readily the parts attached to it in position.

understood. The conveying means 15.delivers the packages upon the inclined roller chute or incline 22.

The form of packages for which my invention is particularly adapted is illustrated in Fig. 13, in which 23 represents the end flaps, and 24 and 25 the right and left hand side flaps respectively. To guide the packages laterally as they are conveyed along the bottom guides 4, I provide a right hand side guide 26, which is secured to a transverse member 27 which has secured to it the upper guide 28 for the upper side of the right hand side flap, and the lower guide 29 for the lower side thereof. The upper guide 28 is connected by the bracket 30 to the frame of the machine. The transverse member 27 extends out beyond the upper and lower guides 28 and 29, to permit side flap to pro ect beyond said guides. The right hand guide 26 and side flap guides 28 and 29 are stationary, being fixed to the frame of the machine. I provide a left hand side guide 31 which is secured to the transverse members 32, having a form similar to the transverse member 27, and having the upper side flap guide 33, and the lower side flap guide 34 secured thereto to guide the left hand side flap. The guide 31 and upper and lower side flaps guide 33 and 34, instead of being secured to the frame of the machine, are laterally adjustable and are supported by transverse bars 35, which are attached to the guides 31 and rest upon the lower surface ofa notch or recess formed in the bracket 36 secured to the frame. A pin 37 secured to the frame engages a recess 38 in the bar 35 to hold the bar in position. I provide additional recesses 39 and 40 for boxes of difierent widths. Inasmuch as the guide 31 extends for nearly the length of the machine its weight is sufiicient to keep it and To change the adjustment of the left hand guide 31 and the side flap guides 33 and 34 I lower the ends of the bars 35 and slide them in or out as the case may be. The'front or entrance ends of the right hand side flap guides 28 and 29, and the left hand side guides 33 and 34, are curved, the upper guides in an upward direction and the lower guides in a downward direction, to facilitate the entrance of the side'flaps between the guides.

At points between the side guides 26 and.

31, I provide top guides 41 and 42, secured to the brackets 43 and 44 respectively, the bracket 44 being secured to the frame of the machine, and the bracket 43 to the laterally movable frame 45. The lower sides of the guides 41 and 42 are arranged to come flush with the top of the box or package for the purpose of keeping the end flaps closed while the package is being conveyed through the machine. The front or entrance ends of the top guides are curved upwardly to facilitate the entrance of the package under them. The frame 45 is mounted upon the transverse angles 46 which are a part of the frame. It is held in position by the screws 47, a number of tapped holes 48, being provided in the angles 46 so that the frame 45 may be moved inwardly or outwardly to accommodate boxes of different widths.

Mounted on a shaft 49 which is journaled in the brackets 50 secured to the frame 45 is the glue roll 51, the lower edge of which is slightly higher than the lower face of the side flap guide 33. Mounted on the outer end of the shaft 49 is a sprocket wheel 52 connected to said shaft by means of a feather and held in position laterally by the bracket 53 secured to the frame. The s rocket wheel 52 is connected by the chain 54 to the sprocket wheel 55, the connection being such that the lower edge of the glue roll travels in the opposite direction to that of the movement of the packages. At the side of the glue roll and attached to the frame 45 is a glue reservoir 56, having an open side adjacent to the glue roll, which the Inc roll closes. The glue reservoir is provi ed with side pieces 57, which accurately fit the sides of the glue roll and prevent the esca e of the glue at the sides of the roll. An a justable bottom plate 58 is secured to the bottom of the reservoir and its front edge is adapted to engage or to be adjusted to any degree of proximity to the surface of the glue roll by means of adjusting the screw 59. A drip basin 60, having sides which scra e against the sides of the glue roll, is provi ed as additional precaution to prevent the escape of the glue at the sides of the roll. A hole 61 is provided in the bottom of the reservoir, and is normally closed by a screw 62, for the purpose of withdrawing glue from the reservoir. 1

Located below and a little in advance of the glue roll 51, is a pressure roll 63,mounted in the rocker 64, the said rocker being pivoted on the shaft 65 in the bracket 66 secured to the frame. The upper edge of the pressure roll normally clears the lower side of the side flap, but as it is pushed upward it raises the side flap into contact with the glue roll. It is operated by means of a cross bar 67 secured to the rod 68, the rod 68 being pivotally connected with the lever 69 secured to the shaft 70. A lever 71 secured to the shaft is connected by the link 72 to the lever 73 which is secured to the shaft 74 journaled in the bracket 75, which bracket is secured to the lower side of the bottom guide bars 4. Secured also to the shaft 74 is a lever arm 76 carrying the roller 77 which projects slightly above the upper surface of the bottom guide 4 where it is contacted and depressed by the package as the package is conveyed along said bottom guides. The length of the link 72 is equal to the length of the levers 5 from which it follows that the relation of the pressure roll 77 to the guide bars 4 or the amount which the pressure roll projects above said guide bars will remain the same .as the guide bars are raised or lowered to accommodate boxes of different depths. The forward end of the rod 68 passes through and is guided by a hole in the .bracket 78 secured to the frame. A check nut 79 in threaded engagement with the rod 68, comes against the bracket 78 and forms a means of accurate adjustment for the forward and upward movement of the pressure roll 63; the pressure roll 63 is of substantially the same width as the glue roll 51, and the rocker 64 is adapted to slide longitudinallyon the shaft 65. An arm 83 is secured to the side guide 31 and is provided at its end with a slot which receives one of the arms of the rocker 64, whereby the rocker .and the pressure roll 63 are moved outwardly and inwardly with the side guide 31 for packages of different widths. It will be observed that by means of the connections between the rollers 77 and the pressure roll 63, the bracket 75 being secured to the lower side of the bottom guldes 4, the movement of the pressure roll will remain substantially the same without changing its adjustment or the connections between it and the roll 77 when the bottom guides are raised or lowered to accommodate packages of different depths. The roller 77 is so located that the forward edge of the side flap is ermitted to pass slightly the glue roll be ore the side flap is raised into contact therewith, in order to prevent a quantity of the glue from being scraped off by the front edge of the side flap, and b means of causing the contact surface of t e glue roll to travel in the opposite direction to the motion of the side flap, the carrying of the glue to the rear edge of the side flap as it leaves the glue roll is prevented. In using corrugated box board packages, the surface of which is more or less irregular, a relatively thick glue, such as water glass, has to be used in relatively large amounts, and the keeping of the glue from smearing-over the edges of the flaps is a matter ofinuch practical importance. After the side-flaps leave the glue roll they enter betweenthe lower guide 80 and the upper guide 81-; "the lower guide 80 is curved upwardly and inwardly toward I the center so as to turn the flap over and press the same down against and upon the end flaps when the sealing is completed.

The glue roll 82 at the right side of the machine is constructed and operated like the glue roll 51 above described, except that it is not laterally adjustable, but operates in a fixed relation to the frame, as it is necessary to adjust only one side to accommodate boxes of different widths.

An important feature of my invention is t1ons betwe'e ably mounted on said that it is readily adjusted for boxes or packages of difl'erent dimensions. No adjustments at all are required for boxes of different lengths as the pressure roll brings the side flap in contact with the glue roll just after its forward edge has passed the glue roll regardless of its length, and, by causing the contact surface of the glue roll to travel in the direction opposite to the travel of the packages an accumulation of glue is not carried over the rearward end of the side flap, whereas, I have found that when the glue roll is caused to travel in the same direction as that of thepackage a quantity of glue accumulates behind the glue roll and passes over the ed e of the flap as the same leaves the glue roll. No adjustment is required of the pressure roll which brings the flaps in contact with the glue roll for boxes of different lengths, widths or depths. The only adjustment required for boxes of different widths are first the lateral adjustment of the glue roll by moving the frame 45 in or out, and the adjustment of the side flap guides by shifting the bars 35. And finally the onl adjustment for boxes of different depths 1s by shifting the lever 9.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a package sealing machinethe combination with a package conveying means and a vertically movable bottom guide beneath said conveying means, of a glue roll located above and at the side of said conveying means, a pressure roll located beneath said glue roll, a lever pivotally mounted beneath said bottom guide extending normally a fixed distance above said bottom guide, and connections between said lever and said pressure roll adapted to cause said pressure roll to rise when said lever is depressed. 1

2. In a package sealing machine the combination with a package conveying means, of a side flap guide, a glue roll journaled above and having its lowersurfaee in alinement with said side-flap guide, a bottom guide for packages, I pair of shafts rotatably mounted eneath said guide, connecgshaftS to cause them to and connections between said shaftsa said bottom guide fo'r raising and lowering saidbottoin guide.'

3. Ina-pack sealing machine the com-- bination with glue roll, ofa bottom guide, means forad u's'tingsaid bottom'guide relatively to said glue roll to accommodate packages of different heightsya pressure roll, a frame or bracket in fixed'relationf to said glue roll in which said pressureroll is movbotto'ni guide and adapted to be actuated by contacting a moving package, and connectionsgbetween said pressure roll and saidoperating device.

4. In a package-sealing machine the combination with a frame, of a glue roll journaled in said frame, a bottom guide beneath said glue roll, conveying means adapted to carry ackages along said guides, a lever pivotal y mounted in said frame, a pressure roll mounted in said lever ada ted to engage the underside of. a side-flap of a package to force the same into contact with said glue roll, a lever ivoted to the underside of and projecting a ove said bottom guide, and connections between the lever. pivotally mounted in said frame, and the lever pi oted to the underside of said bottom guide, whereby when thelatter is depressed the former is raised.

5. In a package sealing machine the combination with a frame and vertically movable horizontal guides for packages mounted in said frame, conveying means adapted to convey packages alon said guides, a glue roll rotatably mounted above said guides, a pressure device locatedbeneath said glue roll adapted to move toward and away from said glue roll and normally standing away therefrom, and an actuating device or said pressure device mounted on said guides. and connections between said actuating device and said pressure device which ermit the raising and lowerin of said gui es withoutsubstantially changin the relation of said pressure device to sai glue roll.

6. In a package sealing machine the combination with a frame, of a glue roll rotatably mounted in said frame, a bottom guide for packages supported by and pivotally connected to a su porting lever which is secured to a rock s aft journaled in hearings in said :firame, a ressure rocker pivoted to said frame, pac age contacting lever pivotally mounted to said bottom guides and extending above the upper face of the same, a rod engaging said rocker connected with a lever pivoted to said frame, levers connected with said last named lever and said ackage contacting lever'resygectively and a ink connecting them of su stantially the same length as said supporting levers.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARRY P. FORTE.

Witnesses:

E. W. SHINEMAN, C. E. SMITH. 

